I agree with your second point though. As far as workshops go I’m not convinced they can do much for experienced photographers (definitely worthwhile for beginners) - I think photographers really have to develop our own vision, a workshop will only tell you how someone else would approach a location. I know a photographer who’s already quite good but goes on workshops with the likes of Greg Whitton, Alex Nail but his photos aren’t getting better - I can only think what he does get is new locations and a safer way of getting to those (usually mountains). If you’re already half decent there’s not much you’ll learn though.
I’d say landscape photographers need to become really good at predicting the weather and knowing what works in different conditions, getting familiar with areas so you can be in the right places at the right times. Post processing skills are very important and overlooked too, as is the ability to separate the best and worst shots.
Interesting thread this. Workshops are not a magic answer for turning a bad photographer into a good photographer. You don't just click your fingers one day and the next you are regarded as the best in the field. There is a process almost everyone has to go through. A process of failure, exploration and experimentation. It takes years of graft to turn your vision into a reality, assuming you had the vision in the first place. Some people don't. Some people do. It's taken David Ward some 35 years or so to reach the level he has and his workshops reflect those 35 years of learning. However, not every photo David takes is a masterpiece, in fact before he headed off to Africa I had a chat with him and he wasn't in a good place with regards to his own photography. He was in a trough. Of course, he has the knowledge and experience, together with the skillset, to manage this to a point. The key for most people is to get out often and keep shooting, come rain or shine. Even Tiger Woods can't take 6 months off and hit a hole in one with his first swing of the club.
Now, Scirocco
, seeing as you've seen fit to name me directly (and Alex) in a negative context, I kind of feel I need to defend myself here
. I'll also defend Alex as that was a poor choice of name drop. Alex specialises in leading people to places beyond the honeypots. He will put you in a place where you will potentially shoot something unique, that stands out in an oversaturated world of landscape photography. How many quality images do you see daily from the Drakensburg, or from the central Highlands of Iceland, or from atop the highest and wildest mountains of the UK? Not many. How many images do you see from the shores of Elgol, of a certain tree on Buttermere, or of Corfe Castle? Doubtless plenty. What you pay for on Alex's workshops is the opportunity to photograph the rarely seen, not the often seen. Alex does help clients with various technical aspects and with post-processing, but his 'focus' (pardon the pun) isn't really on developing the skillsets of the photographer. However, he can and actively will should the client need it. As an ex-client of Alex's myself, I can safely say that is the case.
In my case, I kind of fill a void between those who will provide a workshop visiting honeypots (or just a single location) and the likes of Alex. I mix the familiar with the unfamiliar. The emphasis is venturing beyond the car parks, off the bridleways and away from the main viewpoints. The success of that is largely driven by the physical capabilities of the workshop clients and time. You can only push the group as far as the capability of the weakest member. So, as often happens, compromise comes into play. I'm really not interested in teaching clients who don't know where the on/off button is on their new camera, or who don't understand the exposure triangle. All of my clients are expected to understand the basics of point and shoot. If they don't, then I can name several other photographers who can help them out in that regard. What clients are paying for when they book me is the first few steps away from the familiar. I try to build their confidence to venture off the beaten track, to explore new areas. I'll offer advice on equipment and equipment management, and general outdoor skills, if they need it. Not only what to take into the hills, but how and when to use it. I'll share my vision of what makes a good photograph, how to pick out the extraordinary from amongst the ordinary. I'll offer tips and advice on what they might need to achieve the shot to match their vision. Much like an earlier post that mentioned how David Ward helps you simplify, I teach people to slow down, to think about the image before they press the shutter. What are the distractions? Is the image balanced? Is there order amongst the chaos? Is it just plain sh*t? What can you do to improve the scene that first made you stop, look and take your camera out of your bag? Those are the types of lessons and services I provide. Generally Dawn to Dusk. I turn myself inside out for my clients. By the end of a weekend, I'm exhausted, physically and mentally...and often so are they.
And yet, at the end of it, the client may not get any decent images. That is the way it goes. Sometimes it just doesn't happen on the day. Sometimes they need to go away from the weekend, and think, and practice, and think...and practice. Then, they may come back, and you know, there is something very satisfying when they do and you see them implementing your teachings. You do see an improvement. You do see them being more efficient in how they take photos. You do see that they are choosing to not just shoot the big picture. You do see that they are making conscious decisions to eliminate aspects of a scene in the interests of better defining their vision. They are developing.
You can't judge a workshop leader on your perception of the quality of their clients images.
